Farm utility boat



Jan. 16, 1951 sw so 2,538,599

FARM UTILITY BOAT Filed May 27, 1947 as e Ivenior Patented Jan. 16, 1951 UNITED STATES- FARM UTILITY BOAT Harold Swanson, Brownhclm Township, Lorain County, "Ohio Application May 2'7, 1947, Serial N0. "750,675

Claims. (C1 280-19) 1 .2 This invention relates to improvements in the opposite end and side by the top edges of constructing farm utility boats which can be heavy steel hinge plates. that swing clown, seas used for several purposes in agricultural operato lie flat the ground to permit heavy stones tions, but more particularly as a load carrying or'boulders, logs, barrels, farm implements, etc., boat that slides over the surface of the ground to be rolled upon the boat.

TENT oFFlCE and ishauled about with a farm tractor. A further object is that-a farm utility boat 'One object or this invention is to construct a can be made without the hinge plate feahirebut farm utility boat inits simplest form and still still retain the other features mentioned herein,

be as durable and useful as possible. such as the feature of being hauled lengthwise A further object is that the farm utility boat or sideways.

of this invention can be hauled either length- Other objects of this invention will appear wise or sideways. more fully described and illustrated hereinafter.

A further object is that when this farm utility Fig. 1, Fig. .2, and Fig. 3 show one farm utility boat is hauled sideways it becomes an ideal boat by three views in third-angle orthographic planker or clod crushing means in fitting out soil 5 projection, a plan or top elevation (Fig. '13 an for agricultural field planting operations. end elevation (Fig. 2), and a side elevation (Fig.

A further object is to construct a farm utility 3) boat from heavy metal plate such as strong steel Fig. 4 is a strap hinge for a term utility boat plate approximately one-half inch thick .hinge plateshown by armodifie'd perspective view. so as to enable it to withstand severe bumping Fig. .5 is a strap clevis for :a farm utility looeft without breakage. hinge plate shown by a modifiedperspective view. A further object is that by constructing this Fig. 6, Fig- 7, and Fig. 8 show another farm farm utility boat from heavy steel plate, (stainutility boat by three views in 'third-angle-ortholess steel would be preferable but prohibitive in graphic projection, a plan or top elevation cost) it can lay around almost anyplace on a 6.), an end elevation (Fig. 7 and a side elevafa'rm exposed to all kinds of weather and still tion (Fig- 8).

be serviceable after many years of such treat- Referring to Fig. 1, Fig. 2., andEig3 collectively ment. It being obvious that paint and shelter which show a farm utility boat having a large naturally prolongs its usefulness. heavy steel plate I which is cut out along the A further object is to construct a farm utility edges 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and l, with .a :narrow V imit heat of a convenient size (approximately three out that closes together and is electric welded feet wide by eight .feet long) from a rectangular at 8 when the plate I is bent upward on lines steel'plate that has at least one end and one '9 and m to .form the main plate :of thexboat; a :side bent or formed upward to act as prows for long heavy steel plate H which is cut out along the bottom surface or full width runner across the edges 2., -3, l2, and -53, to form the :side hinge the boat as it is hauled either lengthwise or side- :plate of the boat; a short heavy steel plate 1'4 ways over the ground. which is cut out along the edges 3, 5., l2, and ilii,

A .furt'her object is that this farm utility boat to form the end hinge plate of the boat; strap shall have a brim extendingall around the top hinge plates I6 and ll, 5% and i9, 28 and 2:1,, 22 several inches from the bottom to hold stones, and. 23, 24 and 25,"wit-h hinge pin-s therein"(simidir-t, manure and other materials thereon when 40 lar to Fig. 4) are placed as shown-and electric :hauled over the earth. welded respectively to the main plate 1 side hinge A further object is that the said upward plate II, and end hinge plate i l; strap clev-is :formed prows of one end and side of this farm plates 26 and 21., 12-8 and 29, 3!! and 311 (similarto utility boat, acts as the above mentioned brim Fig. 5) are placed as shown and electric welded to hold in such materials that are hauled; and 4.5 respectively to the main plate 1, side hinge plate also provides a convenient place to start hand ll, and end hinge plate i l, so that the'clevis shoveling potatoes, ear corn, coal, etc., when unplates can be fastened together in the positions loading such material; and also provides an easy shown by removable clevis pins inserted through "sweep-out incline 'for dirt and water when cleanthe holes in the clevises :at 32., 33, and $4 holes ing "the boat. are out at .35, 3B, 31, 38., .and 39 or at any other A further object is to construct a .farm utility convenient location .for attaching chains, draw boat that has a brim all around the top several bars, or any other boat hauling hitch to the inches (approximately four) above the bottom. tractor when towing the boat lengthwise or side- This brim is formed on one end and one side .ways respectively.

"by the top edges o'fth'e'prows, and is formed on Referring to Fig. 4 which shows two hinge strap plates 40 and 4| for a. farm utility boat hinge plate; each plate 40 and 4| is formed cylindrical on one end around a hinge pin 42 which is slightly riveted on its ends 43 and 44 to hold the plates 40 and 4| together and still permit a swivel action around the pin 42. It is obvious that plates 40 and 4| can be made alike before they are assembled together with pin 42.

Referring to Fig. which shows two strap clevis plates 45 and 4t placed together to fit in a valley at thejunction of hinge plates for a farm utility boat; plate 45 is made similar to plates 40 and 4| in Fig. 4; plate 46 is made similar to plate 45 with an additional bend on line 41 so that its angle at the apex 48 will fit in each valley on line 2, 5, and I2 in Fig. 1.

26 and 21 in Fig. 1.

Referring to Fig. 6, Fig. 7, and Fig. 8 collectively which show a farm utility boat having a large rectangular heavy steel plate 49 with a narrow V cut out that closes together and is electric welded at 50 when the plate 49 is bent upward on lines 5| and 52 to form the main plate of the boat; a long rectangular heavy steel plate 53 forms the side hinge plate of the boat; a short rectangular heavy steel plate 54 forms the end hinge plate of the boat; heavy steel gusset plates 55 and 5B are cut out to fit and are electric welded to the main plate 49 as shown; strap hinge plates 57 and 58, 59 and 65, 6| and 52, 83 and B4, 65 and 56, with hinge pins therein (similar to Fig. 4) are placed as shown and electric welded respectively to the main plate 49, side hinge plate 53, and end hinge plate 54; strap clevis plates 61 and B8, 69 and 1|], H and 12, (similar to plate 45 in Fig. 5) are placed as shown and electric welded respectively to the gusset plates 55 and 55, side hinge plate 53,, and end hinge plate 54, so that the clevis plates can be fastened together in the positions shown, by removable clevis pins inserted through the holes in the clevises at 13, 74, and

.holes are cut at 76, 17, 18, 19, and 83, or at any other convenient location for attaching chains, draw bars, or any other boat hauling hitch to the tractor when towing the boat lengthwise or sideways respectively. In the manufacture of the large main plate of a farm utility boat, a large bending brake press is used to bend the end and side upward to form the prows for the full length and full width runner surface of the boat; however when such brake press is not available, the .plate can be heated to a forging temperature and "bent by pounding with a sledge. Another method of forming the prows for the full length and full width runner surface of the boat, would be to 'cut out separate narrow plates to the size of the prows with an oXy-acetylene torch and then butt electric weld them to the main plate of the boat at the proper incline angle. Another method would be to burn out aseries of slots with an oXy-acetylene torch on the bend line of the main plate to make the bending operation easier, and later after the bending is done, the slots can be electric welded shut.

required for a particular need. Also the thickness of the steel plate could be made to suit any special requirement. 7

-In some cases it may be desirable to provide extra hauling or hitching holes on the opposite It is obvious that plate 45 can be set above plate 45 instead of as 1 shown, so that they will fit together like plates removed, or it candrag along the ground.

When V type draw bars are made for towing a farm utility boat, a farm tractor can push the boat backwards if necessary to maneuver it to any desired position; whereas with a chain hitch the boat can be only towed forward.

When holes wear through the bottom of a farm utility boat, steel patch plates can be electric welded in place to prolong its usefulness. Also almost any kind of an attaching bracket, lug, hook, pipe, bar, strap, etc., can be electric welded to the boat to suit some particular requirement.

It is obvious that the building operations can be changed without altering these features, for example all electric welding can be otherwise welded or brazed; the locations of the hinges and clevis plates can be re-arranged; the prows for the runner surface of the bottom plate can be curved upwards instead of a straight bend; or the boats can be made symmetrically opposite to those shown; none of which changes the combination of features claimed herein.

I claim:

1. In a farm utility boat, the combination of, a main steel plate with a long steel hinge plate and a short steel hinge plate all attached together to form a rectangular farm utility boat that slides on the earth and hauls materials, said main plate having a fiat bottom surface to provide a full width and full length runner surface for said boat, said main plate having one end and one side bent upwardly to provide prows for said full width and full length runner surface, said prows having holes for attaching a hitch and providing a means to tow said boat either lengthwise or sideways along the earth, said hinge plates attached to said main plate with hinges and clevises, the top of said prows and said hinge plates forming a brim to hold materials in said boat, said hinges providing a means to swing said hinge plates fiat on the earth to load and unload materials from said boat, said clevises providing a means to hold said hinge plates up to form part of said brim.

2. A farm utility boat that slides on the earth and hauls materials, consisting of, a main steel plate with a long steel hinge plate and a short steel hinge plate all attached together to form a farm utility boat of rectangular shape, said main plate having a flat bottom surface forming a full width and full length runner surface for said boat, said main plate having one end and one side bent upwardly to provide prows for said full width and full length runner surface, said prows having holes for attaching a hitch and providing a means to tow said boat either lengthwise or sideways along the earth, said hinge plates attached to said main plate with hinges and clevises, the top of said prows and said hinge plates forming a brim to hold materials in said boat.

3. A farm utility boat, comprising, a main steel plate, a long steel hinge plate, a short steel hinge plate, hinges and clevises for attaching all plates together to form a rectangular farm utility boat that slides on the earth and haulsmaterials, said main plate having a fiat bottom surface to provide a full width and 'i ull length runner surface forsaid boat, sai ain plate having one end and one side bent wardly to form prows for said full width and length runner surface, holes formed in said prows for attaching a hitching means to tows'aid boat eitherlengthwise or sideways along the earth, said hinge plates and said prows providing a means to hold materials in said boat.

4. The combination, witha farm utility boat, a long steel hinge plate and a short steel hinge plate attached with hinges and clevises to a main steel plate, a full width and full length runner surface being provided by the flat bottom surface of said main steel platefprows for said runner surface being formed by one end and one side of said main steel plate bentlupwardly, holes in said prows for attaching a hitch to tow said boat either-lengthwise or sideways on the earth, a brim to hold materials in said boat being formed by said hinge plates and said prows.

5. A farm utility boat, consisting of, a main 2 steel plate, a long steel hinge plate, a short steel REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 531,937 Herman Jan. 1, 1895 1,064,237 McClure June 10, 1913 1,544,965 Bavousett July '7, 1925 2,332,259 Reuther Oct. 19, 1943 2,424,964 Jones July 29, 1947 2,451,866 Ormond Oct. 19, 1948 

